Controller operating mechanism



Filed July 4, 1942 .m 9 mm 3 w 4 W Z wflau A WM 8 mwm l m n WW HFWFAMF H 2 m Patented July 20, 1943 CONTROLLER OPERATING MECHANISM William R. Quentin, Schenectady, N. Y., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application July 4, 1942, Serial No. 449,825

Claims.

My invention relates to controller operating mechanism, particularly operating mechanism for electric controllers, wherein it is desired positively to bring the controller to rest in one or more positions over its range of movement, and has for its object simple and reliabl means for causing the operatorto stop the controller at a predetermined point.

I In carrying out my invention in one form, I

mounted slidably three plungers or latch members I8, [9 and 20. These plungers are each free to move in a direction substantially parallel with the handle, as shown, and are slidably mounted in substantially parallel bores provided for them in the support I] but they are held against rotation in the bores by suitable splined connections (not shown). They are depressed, as seen in the drawing, respectively by helical springs 2 I, 22

provide one or more stop projections in the path 10 and 23. of movement of the controller handle, together With the parts in the positions shown in the with three spring pressed members on the handle drawing, the handl is latched against movement which cooperate with the stop. Two of these in either direction by the plungers l8 and members take positions on opposite sides of a stop which are on opposite sides of the projection l4. projection to bring the handle to rest while the 5 Also, it will be observed that the plunger I9 is in third member engages the projection and thereby its raised position and rests on the projection l4. renders effective the lifting mechanism for the The outer beveled ends of the plungers I8 and 20 other two members. The operator may now raise provide for lifting of the plunger which first enthe two latching members to clear the projection gages the projection I 4 after which this leading so that the handle movement can be continued. 20 plunger is forced down in front of the projection When the third member disengages the stop, when the handle is brought to rest by the engagehowever, it disables the lifting mechanism for the ment of the trailing outer plunger with the protwo latching members so that they can not be jection. The plunger I9 has its end beveled for held in a position to clear the next stop which, each direction of movement so that it is raised therefore, positively brings the handle to rest. to the position shown upon engagement with the For a more complete understanding of my inprojection regardless of the direction of movevention, reference'should be had to the accomment of the handle. panying drawing, Fig. 1 of which is an end eleva- In order to continue the movement of the hantion view. partly in section, of a controller and dle in either direction, the operator must pull operating mechanism therefor embodying my inupward on the operating member or rod 24 so as vention, while Fig. 2 is a side elevation view of to raise the plungers l8 and 20. This he can the operating mechanism shown in Fig. 1 but conveniently do by grasping a cross member 25 with enclosing covers removed. on the other end of the rod 24 which member 25 I have shown my invention in on form as fits into a slot 26 in the hand grip member 27 applied to the operating handle or lever l0 which on the end of the handle. On the lower end of is mounted on an operating shaft H for the electhe rod is a cross member 28 carrying pivotally tric controller [2. It will be understood that the on its opposite ends the links 29 and 30. When shaft ll drives a suitable electric switching dethe links are raised by raising the rod, projections vice (not shown) in the controller. The lower 3| and 32 on the links engage with projections end of the handle is rigidly secured to the shaft 33 and 34 on members secured to the upper ends so that arcuate movement of the handle turns of the plungers l8 and 20 whereby these plungers the shaft through a small angle. are lifted. At this time, the links 29 and 30 are This coniholler may be used, for example, in pressed apart by a helical spring 35 whereby the the controlof an electric motor. It is desired to toggle links 36 and 3'! connecting the lower ends prevent tli operator from moving the handle of the links 29 and 30 are substantially straightquickly over certain positions in order that the ened, as shown in the drawing. During thi up motor, for example, may have time to accelerate ward movement, the knee pin 38 of the toggle and the severity of service on both the motor and links 36 and 31 is free to move upward in a slot supply conductors thereby be decreased. member 39 secured to the upper end of the plung- I have shown a mechanism for bringing the er [9. It will be observed that the rod 24 i ubhandle positively to rest in three positions destantially parallel with the plungers. fined by stop projections l3, l4 and I5 on an ar- Thus, the plungers and 20 can be lifted y cuate member I6 adjacent the handle and exgrasping the cross member 25 so as to both clear tending in the direction of its movement. Carthe p l u and provide for movement of ried by the handle is a support I! in which are the handle in either direction. However, when the handle is moved far enough for the plunger l9 to clear the projection M, the plunger is forced downward by the spring 22 to its lowermost position in which the upper wall of the slot 39 engages the knee pin 38 forcing it downward and pulling the lower ends of the links 29 and 30 toward each other. This moves the projections 3| and 32 out of engagement with the projections 33 and 34 so that the plungers i8 and are released and forced downward by their springs even though the operator may continue to hold the cross member in its raised position. Thus it is impossible for the operator to hold the plungers l8 and 20 in their raised positions.

It will be understood from the preceding description that when a projection is reached, the leading plunger |8 or 20 is raised and passes over the projection and the handle is brought to rest by the trailing plunger. At the same time, the middle plunger I9 is raised so as to render efiective the manual lifting mechanism for the plungers I8 and 20.

Continuing with the details of construction, it will be observed that the U-shaped member carrying the hand grip 21 is mounted between the upper ends of two parallel bars 4| and 42 which at their lower ends are secured, as by welding, to an arm 43 secured in turn to the shaft I I. The support H is mounted between the bars 4| and 42 as are also the various links.

A helical compression spring 44 surrounds the rod 24 between the cross bar 28 and the member 40 thereby to bias the rod 24 to a lowermost position with a collar 45 on the rod resting against the support 40.

Enclosing covers 46 and 41 are provided on opposite sides of the bars 4| and 42 and are held by suitable screws on the bars and on the upper ends of the support l1 so as to enclose the operating mechanism. These caps are not shown in Fig; 2.

As shown, the arcuate member I6 is mounted at its ends between two sector supporting members 48 and 49 secured at their lower ends to the housing of the controller |2. Thus pins 50 and 5| extend through the upper ends of the members 48 and 49 and through apertures in the ends of the member l6 so as to support the member l6. As seen in Fig. 2, spacing members 52 and 53 are provided on opposite sides of the member H5 at each end so that the supporting members 48 and 49 are spaced apart far enough for the bars 4| and 42 to move freely between them. Also, it will be observed that the arcuate member I6 extends loosely between the bars 4| and 42. This arrangement, moreover, provides stop limits for the handle which is brought to rest in each extreme position by engagement of the bars 4| and 42 with the spacing members 52 and 53 at that end.

If desired, one or more of the stop projections can be beveled on one side to provide for continuous movement of the handle past that projection in one direction. This arrangement is shown in connection with the projection l3 which has one beveled side 54. Thus when the handle is moved to its extreme position toward the left, it can be moved toward the right past the projection l3, the plunger I8 being lifted by the beveled side54.

While I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention, it will be understood, of course, that I do not wish to be limited thereto since many modifications may be made, and I therefore contemplate by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patents of the United States is:

1. Stop mechanism for two members, at least one of which is movable relative to the other, comprising a stop projection on one of said members in the path of relative movement of said members, two latches on the other of said members, means biasing said latches to positions to embrace said stop, release mechanism for moving said latches to second positions to clear said stop, and disabling means for said release mechanism rendered ineffective by engagement with said stop when said latches are in positions to embrace said stop but released by disengagement from said stop upon relative movement of said members for disabling said release mechanism thereby to prevent the holding of said latches in said second positions.

2. Stop mechanism for two members, at least one of which is movable relative to the other, a stop projection on one of said members in the path of relative movement of said members, two spring pressed latches on the other of said members arranged to embrace said stop, release mechanism for moving said latches to second positions to clear said stop, and means raised to an ineffective position on said stop when said latches embrace said stop and released when said latches move past said stop upon continued movement of said handle for disabling said release mechanism thereby to prevent the holding of said latches in said second positions.

3. The combination with an operating handle of a stop in the path of movement of said handle, two spring pressed latches carried by said handle arranged to embrace said stop, latch mechanism for raising said two plungers to clear said stop, and disabling means for said release mechnism rendered inefiective by engagement with said stop when said latches are in positions to embrace said stop but released by disengagement from said stop upon continued movement of said handle for disabling said latch mechanism thereby to prevent the holding of said latches in their raised positions by said latch mechanism.

4. The combination with an operating handle of a stop in the path of movement. of said handle, two spring pressed latches carried by said handle arranged to embrace said stop, latch mechanism for raising said two latches to clear said stop, a spring pressed member arranged to engage said stop, and an operating connection between said member and said latch mechanism whereby upon continued movement of said handle, said member operates said latch mechanism to release said latches thereby to prevent the holding of said latches in their raised positions.

5. The combination with an operating handle, of a stop projection in the path of movement of said handle, three spring pressed plungers carried by said handle, the two outermost of which are arranged to embrace said stop projection with the middle plunger rec .ing on said projection, latch mechanism for rising said two outer plungers to clear said stop projection, and an operating connection between said middle plunger and said latch mechanism whereby when said middle plunger moves off of said stop upon continued movement of said handle, said middle plunger operates said latch mechanism to release said two outer plungers thereby to prevent the holding of said two outer plungers in their raised positions.

6. A stop mechanism for twomembers, one of which is movable with respect to the other, com- AND prising a stop projection on one of said members, two spring pressed latch members carried by the other of said members arranged in the path of relative movement of said stop and to embrace said stop, an operating member adjacent said latch members, a pair of links pivoted on said operating member and extending toward said latch members, a spring biasing said links apart, a first operating projection on the other end of each of said links, second operating projections on said two latch members engaged by said first projections when said member is moved away from said latch members whereby said latch members are moved to clear said stop and provide for continued relative movement between said members, and means cooperating with said stop for moving said links together when said latch members pass said stop thereby to release said latch members.

7. A stop mecchanism for two members, one of which is movable with respect to the other, comprising a stop projection on one of said members, three spring pressed plungers carried by the other of said members arranged substantially parallel with one another in the path of relative movement of said stop and the two outermost of said plungers being arranged to embrace said stop with the middle plunger resting on said stop, an operating member adjacent said plungers, a pair of links pivoted on said member and extending toward said plungers, a spring biasing said links apart, a latching projection on the other end of each of said links, second latching projections on said two outer plungers engaged by said first projections when said member is pulled away from said plungers whereby said plungers are moved to clear said stop and provide for continued relative movement between said members, and a mechanical connection between said middle plunger and said links for moving said links together when said middle plunger moves off said stop thereby to release said two outer plungers.

8. The combination with an operating handle of a stop projection in the path of movement of said handle, three spring pressed plungers carried by said handle arranged in alignment and substantially parallel with one another in the path of movement of said handle and the two outermost of said projections being arranged to embrace said stop projection with the middle plunger resting on said projection, a longitudinally movable operating member on said handle having one end adjacent said plungers, a pair of links pivoted on said member and extending toward said plungers, a spring biasing said links apart, a latching projection on the other ends of each of said links, second latching projections on said two outer plungers engaged by said first projections when said member is pulled away from said plungers whereby said plungers are moved to clear said stop projection and provide for continued movement of said hand e in either Search Room direction, and a mechanical connection between said middle plunger and said links for moving said links together when said middle plunger moves off said stop thereby to release said two outer plungers.

9. The combination with an operating handle of a stop projection in the path of movement of said handle, three spring pressed plungers carried by said handle arranged in alignment and substantially parallel with one another in the path of movement of said handle and the two outermost of said projections being arranged to embrace said stop projection with the middle plunger resting on said projection, an operating rod on said handle substantially parallel with said plungers having one end adjacent sad plungers, a cross member on said end of said rod, a first pair of links pivoted on the ends of said cross member and extending toward said plungers, a second pair of linls forming a toggle connecting the other ends of said first links together, a spring biasing said first links apart thereby to straighten said toggle, a latching projection on said other ends of each of said first links, second latching projections on said two outer plungers engaged by said first projections when said rod is pulled away from said plungers whereby said plungers can be raised to clear said stop projection and provide for continued movement of said handle in either direction, and a mechanical connection between said middle plunger and the knee pivot; of said toggle for breaking said toggle when said middle plunger moves off said stop thereby to move said first links together and prevent the raising of said two outer plungers.

10. A stop mechanism for two members at least one of which is movable relative to the other comprising a stop projection on one of said members in the path of relative movement of said members, a latch on the other of said members, means biasing said latch to one position to engage said stop and thereby to hold said members against relative movement in a predetermined direction, release mechanism for moving said latch to a second position to clear said stop, and disabling means for said release mechanism on one of said members biased to a posisition to disable said release mechanism, and means on said disabling means engaged by said stop when said latch is in engagement with said stop whereby said disabling means is moved by said stop to a position rendering said disabling means inefiective and said latch can then be moved by said release mechanism to a position to clear said stop for relative movement of said members whereupon said disabling means is released by disengagement from said stop and moves in accordance with its bias to disable said release mechanism and prevent the holding of said latch in said second position.

WILLIAM R. QUENTIN. 

